Tag: woodbridge self storage

How To Effectively Downsize and Move Into A Smaller Home

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: baslow

Are you considering moving to a smaller place? If you are then taking the time to effectively downsize will ease a lot of the stress about your upcoming move. Over time we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff in our homes. This can make moving quite difficult, especially if we’re moving into a smaller place.

Below you’ll find a process that will help you effectively downsize into a smaller place.

1. Take Stock Of Your Current Items

Before you begin the downsizing process you’ll need to take stock of what items and furniture you currently have in your home. Make sure to check all of your typical storage areas, as well as hidden closets and cabinets.

This part can be very overwhelming as you’ll come face-to-face with items you’ve been storing and holding onto for years. However, keep in mind the stress won’t last long as you’ll be moving into a smaller place very soon.

It can be helpful to sort your new items and group them by category.

2. Measure All Furniture You’re Keeping

Once you can visually see everything you own it’s time to start sorting the items you’re going to keep, and the items you’re going to give away or sell.

Make sure you measure the dimensions of the items you’re going to keep, so you can be sure they’re going to fit into your new place. Anything that’s too large will have to move into the donation pile.

3. Assess Your New Space

Do you know the dimensions of your new space? If you don’t know the exact dimensions of your new place, or Woodbridge storage unit, you can make an approximation based upon how much space you wish to have.

This will help you pare down your goods to only the essentials. After all, there’s no reason to hold onto items forever if you don’t actually enjoy them, or use them frequently.

4. Donate or Sell Old Items

Now that you have your items sorted, and know which items you’re going to keep you can begin the process of selling or donating your goods.

Common methods of getting rid of old goods include listing them on eBay, or Craigslist. Or hosting a garage sale.

After you’ve attempted to sell all of your items you can take your remaining goods to a thrift store, or consignment shop.

5. Get Organized

Once you’ve successfully unloaded all of the items you no longer want to keep you can then begin the process of organizing your goods for your move.

Box up all of your items and use the necessary packing materials to ensure their safety. It can also be helpful to label everything by room, so you know exactly where to take each box.

By applying the strategy above to your downsizing process you’ll find it will be much less stressful overall.

If you need a self-storage solution throughout the duration of your move we hope you consider Gateway Storage.We love serving our clients and customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, Springfield, and Northern Virginia areas.

How To Effectively Store Home Appliances

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Image Via: KLGreenNYC

Storing your home appliances in a safe and efficient manner can be quite the challenge. If you’re about to move, or are trying to downsize, yet don’t want to part with your home appliances, then self-storage might be a great option for you.

However, home appliances require a lot of additional prep work to ensure they’re ready to be stored and won’t incur any added damage. The last thing you want is to remove your appliances from storage only to realize they’re no longer functional.

Below you’ll find a few tips that will ensure your items are effectively prepped and ready to be stored in your Woodbridge self storage unit.

1. Storing Your Refrigerator

Before you begin the packing process you’ll want to take the necessary precautions to ensure your fridge is ready for long-term storage.

To get started empty out your refrigerator and start the defrost process. If you’re trying to speed up the defrost process you can put a hot bowl of water inside the freezer. After the defrost process is complete remove all the shelving units, and clean the interior of the fridge.

After cleaning thoroughly dry the refrigerator and freezer, and tape the door shut, so it won’t swing open during the moving process. Lastly, your fridge should be stored upright and stay upright throughout the duration of the move.

2. Carefully Pack Your Electronic Devices

Your electronics are going to be stored most effectively in their original boxes. If you don’t have access to the original box, then make sure you use a box that is very study and can hold you electronics without too much extra space.

It can also be helpful to label all of your cords and store them in the same box as the device. This will save you a lot of trouble when the time comes to unpack all of your boxes.

3. Safely Storing Your Washer and Dryer

Washer and dryer units do very well in storage. However, if you want to keep them in good condition you’ll need to ensure they’ve been sufficiently dried and cleaned before moving them.

Placing them into a storage unit while they’re still moist can cause mildew or mold to form. Also, ensure all of the pipes and tubes are taped to the back of the washer and dryer, otherwise they run of risk of getting trampled or lost.

Lastly, before you move forward with transporting your items into your storage unit you’ll want to make sure your unit is actually large enough to hold your items. There’s always a chance you can upgrade, but it’s much easier to ensure your unit is ready to go from the start.

If you’re interested in storing your home appliances for the short or long-term we hope you consider Gateway Storage. We love assisting our customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, Springfield, and Northern Virginia areas.

Taking An Extended Trip? Consider Storing Your Goods

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: Camera Eye Photography

Sometimes your life might require you to leave your belongings behind for an extended period of time. This could be due to a long-vacation, a temporary move, or something else altogether. Whatever the reason, it requires you to store items while you are away.

When you’re someplace else the last thing you want to be thinking about is your belongings back home. How do you know they’ll be safe? How do you ensure they’ll be free from damage?

Benefits Of A Storage Unit

A Woodbridge storage unit can ease a lot of stress and strain during your travels. You’ll know exactly where your goods are, you know that they’ll be protected and safe, and you won’t have to put the burden of your items on family or friends.

Most storage unit facilities offer a flexible storage structure which allows you to either extend or cut short the amount of time you’re storing your goods.

If you need to store larger items, such as, a vehicle or home furniture you can store those goods along with your regular household items.

Renting a Woodbridge storage unit will give you peace of mind that otherwise might be hard to find while you’re off living or visiting some place else.

Important Items To Consider Storing

When you’re taking an extended trip there are certain items you’ll definitely want to keep safe in a storage unit.

These items include: home furniture, large electronics, appliances, books, vehicles and seasonal clothing. Basically, anything you won’t be bringing with you.

Tips For Packing And Storing

When you have a multitude of items to store away you’ll want to pack these items effectively, so they won’t become damaged in storage. The tips below will help to keep your items safe:

Use bubble wrap for all fragile items, including kitchenware and glassware.
Use sturdy boxes, or plastic bins for all your items. Weaker boxes will lose their integrity over time and won’t hold a lot of weight.
Use plastics stretch wrap or sheeting to cover all your furniture, including wooden furniture. This will protect it during the move and while in storage.
Don’t overstuff boxes.
For any mechanical items or outdoor equipment make sure to drain the fuel tanks so there won’t be any leaks.
Label everything. This will make the unpacking process much easier and stress free.

By renting a Woodbridge self-storage unit you can ensure your goods are safe while you’re gone.

We hope you consider Gateway Storage, the premier self-storage facility across Northern Virginia. We love serving our customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, Springfield, and Northern Virginia areas.

5 Ways To Make The Unpacking Process Simple And Easy

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: GillmanInsurance

Most people think the moving process is over once they’ve loaded everything into boxes. However, for most of us we’re only halfway finished. Whether you’re transporting your goods to a Woodbridge storage unit, or moving the boxes into your new home there are steps you can take to simplify the process.

If you’re tired of getting stressed and overwhelmed when it comes time to unpack, the steps below will get you moving in the right direction.

1. Pack To Unpack

Many of us are so excited to move into our new place that we end up packing haphazardly. Instead of putting everything into boxes in an efficient manner we end up randomly throwing items into boxes and taping them shut.

When you start the packing process remember that each of these boxes is going to have to be unpacked at a certain point as well. Start the process with the end in mind and you’ll make it easier on yourself in the future.

2. Keep Related Items Together

No one wants to unpack the television only to spend hours looking for the power cord or remote. Make sure you group all similar items together in the same box. Moving can be hectic and it’s easy to lose track of small electronic items.

Take extra care in keeping similar items together and you won’t be pulling your hair out later looking for single screw or set of batteries.

3. First Box In Is The Last To Leave

The same idea goes with loading boxes into your moving truck or personal vehicle. Load the boxes in a conscious manner. So, if you need to drop off a round of boxes at your local Woodbridge self-storage unit, then make sure you load these boxes last.

After all, you’d hate to have to unpack your entire car just to reach a small box you accidentally packed away first. A little strategic thinking will save you a lot of future stress.

4. Unpack By Room

Once you’ve made your storage unit stop and are ready to unpack at your new home it can be tempting to want to get everything done at once. However, this will lead to overwhelm very quickly.

The simplest strategy is to take it one room at a time. That way you’ll leave a series of smaller finished projects in your wake and it will be easier to sustain momentum.

5. It’s Not A Race

Lastly, remember it’s up to you to make the process fun. Why don’t you order a pizza and a bottle of wine so you can truly enjoy the process? As much stress as their is during a move it can help to throw some relaxation time into the mix.

We hope the steps above will help you have an enjoyable unpacking and moving experience. If you’re considering using a self-storage service throughout your move consider Gateway Storage. We love serving our customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

Tips For Storing Your Business Documents

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: EvelynGiggles

If you run a small business chances are you’ll need to keep years of tax information and other important documents in some form of storage. Usually, this means you’ll have stacks of boxes and confidential documents clogging up your office.

Instead of having these documents take up precious space in your home or place of work, many business owners have opted for renting a Woodbridge self storage unit. You don’t want these documents to become damaged or end up in the wrong hands, so you’ll need to take extra precaution.

We’re going to highlight a few of our best tips for taking care of your sensitive business documents. You have enough to worry about as it is, so don’t let having to keep years of printed business documents weight you down.

What Are The Right Documents To Keep?

You probably have a lot of documents to sort through. Knowing the correct documents to store and which ones to get rid of can be very beneficial. You’d hate to hold onto documents for years when they’d be better suited for the trashcan.

Documents to keep permanently include: tax returns, year-end financial summaries, bond and stock certificates, deeds of ownership, health and trust records, birth certificates, and custody and death records.

Documents to keep for a short period of time include: paycheck stubs, utility and phone bills, monthly bank and credit card statements, monthly mortgage statements, brokerage statements, and any cancelled checks or tax deductible expenses.

Documents to trash include: bank deposit slips, credit card receipts, receipts for minor purchases, old magazines and articles, and any documentation and warranties for items you no longer own.

Consider External Factors

Once you have your collection of documents under control it’s time to move on to external factors that could destroy your documents. The downfall about storing paper documents is that it’s easy for them to get damaged. Factors like light, moisture and temperature can make all of your documents virtually unreadable.

When you’re organizing your documents you’ll need to think about which ones you’ll need to access regularly and place these documents towards the front of your unit. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging or losing certain papers when you have to shuffle them about.

Keep all of your documents dry from the start and invest in proper containers to keep your documents in good condition. This means you’ll want to go beyond simple cardboard boxes, and purchase plastic containers that have snap-on lids. These will help to keep moisture out. It can also be valuable to store your containers on top of wooden pallets to keep them elevated.

Investing in the proper Woodbridge storage unit is very crucial in keeping your business documents safe. When it comes time to keep your goods safe and protected we hope you consider Gateway Storage . We love to serve our customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

Top Tips For Moving In The Cold Weather

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Amanda Chambers - Storage

Photo Credit: MIKI Yoshihito (´･ω･)

When most people are picking a time of year to move they usually don’t choose the winter. However, every person’s situation is different and sometimes you have to move during a less than ideal time. Rather than dwelling on your situation it’s much more productive to simply get the show on the road.

In this post we’re going to dive into our tips to make sure your move is as flawless as possible, even in the winter months.

1. Always Make Safety A Priority

Safety should be your biggest concern when moving during the winter. Throughout the winter you have to worry about ice and slippery conditions both on and off the road. As well as when you’re moving goods into your Woodbridge storage unit.

If you’re moving things yourself, are working with a moving company, or are having friends and family help make sure you take them time to shovel the sidewalk and make sure it’s free of any ice. This will help you avoid any accidents that could happen from people slipping and falling.

2. Take Extra Care When Packing Some Items

You’ll need to pack some items differently, or keep them out of the cold entirely. Having some items sit in the back of a cold moving truck for an extended period of time can potentially ruin them. For example, some wooden pieces of furniture shouldn’t be stored in freezing cold temperatures for an extended amount of time, as it will cause the wood to change shape.

If you are moving a lot of wooden items and pieces of furniture, then you should take extra care in making sure they’re properly wrapped and protected from the elements.

3. Consider Warmth And The Environment

If it’s cold out the day of your move, make sure you take extra care to cultivate a warm and nurturing environment. This might not seem like a big deal, but it will help the moving process unfold in more seamless manner.

For example, you could prepare hot drinks, such as hot chocolate and coffee for the movers and any friends who may be assisting. It’s also important to have enough warm clothes for when you’re moving back and forth from your home to the truck. The more comfortable everyone is the more enjoyable the process will be.

4. Always Exercise Caution

Lastly, you’ll want to exercise extra caution when driving. Especially if you’re driving a large rental truck, that you don’t have a ton of experience driving. Even if you’re used to driving in the snow and inclement weather you should still take extra caution when driving a new type of vehicle.

Moving during the winter doesn’t have to be a nightmare, just take the necessary precautions and preparations and you’ll be on your way towards an easy moving experience. If you need to store any items throughout the moving process we hope you’ll consider Gateway Storage, your premier storage in the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

How To Store Precious Keepsakes In Your Storage Unit

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: Jametiks

Sometimes you may have a few precious goods that you need to part with and store away, yet you’re afraid they may get ruined or lost. This is a common problem with a lot of our clients. Perhaps, you just inherited a bunch of beautiful furniture, yet you don’t have any room in your home to use it or store it effectively. You can utilize one of our storage units to keep this furniture and other keepsakes safe, until you’re ready to use them.

In this post we’re going to cover a few ideas that may help with keeping these items safe and preventing them from getting lost. Especially, if you end up using your storage unit for other items besides your family keepsakes.

1. Set A Dedicated Space

If you’re using your Woodbridge self storage unit for other items besides your family and personal keepsakes, then you’re going to want to set aside a space for these goods to “live”. If you’re constantly moving items in and out you’d hate for some of your precious items to accidentally get moved out and lost in the shuffle.

In can be helpful to label this space and even set up a protective barrier if possible, for the smaller goods. You’d be surprised at how far effective labeling can go.

2. Always Ensure Their Safety

You’ll need to make sure that your keepsakes are packed and protected effectively. When you’re transporting them, or even in storage accidents do happen and you’d hate for them to get damaged.

Make sure they’re boxed up and have enough padding. When you’re choosing the space in your Woodbridge storage unit make sure that regular foot traffic won’t be disturbing the items.

3. Check Back Often

If your storage unit is going to be used by more people than just yourself, you’ll want to check back on a regular basis. This will ensure that you can keep track of your goods, just in case they get moved around, or accidentally taken out of the unit. Luckily, our location right off I-95 makes it easy to swing by on a regular basis and check in on your keepsakes and precious goods.

I hope you’ve found this post useful and have a better idea of how you can keep your family heirlooms and keepsakes safe and in good condition, even while in storage. If you’re looking for a storage facility to store these precious goods we hope you consider Gateway Storage, we serve our clients across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

How To Effectively Downsize Your Home

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: quinn.anya

When the time comes to downsize your home it’s easy to become bombarded with stress. Or maybe you’re one of the strange few who relish in packing and are actually excited about the experience. Whatever side of the spectrum you fall on you’ll want to ensure that you downsize your home in an effective manner.

In this article we’re going to dive into what you’ll want to do in order to make sure you have a graceful downsizing experience.

1. Take Stock Of What You Currently Have

Sometimes this first phase can be the most overwhelming. After all, it’s easy to forget how much stuff we’ve accumulated over the years. During this initial phase you’ll be taking note of your goods and classifying them into certain sections. For instance, some items you’ll want to keep forever, others you’ll want to donate, and others will belong in the trash.

2. Take Measurements Of All Furniture

You’ll want to measure everything you’re considering keeping. Mostly, this applies to furniture, but it can apply to other bulky items as well. You’d hate to arrive at your new home or Woodbridge storage unit and not be able to move the furniture through the door.

3. Know The Measurements Of Where You’re Moving To

This is in line with the previous point. You’ll want to make sure you remember or record the dimensions that you’ll be moving into. That way you’ll be able to compare sizes and make the decision if the piece of furniture is worth holding on to or not.

4. Make Sure To Check Extra Storage Spaces

Most homes have hidden storage spaces. There’s a good chance these spaces will be filled with stuff you stored away long ago, only to be forgotten about. Some common places include in the rafters of your garage and hidden closets.

Make sure you clear these out early and add them to your list of items to classify as keepers or junk.

5. Pack Up Before You Move

When moving day actually comes along you’ll want to pack up your goods into boxes or bins before you try moving anything. If you’re storing your furniture and other household goods in your Woodbridge storage unit, then you’ll be setting yourself up for an easier packing and unpacking experience. Face it, no one wants to bring small items to and from the car time and time again.

I hope you’ve found this article helpful and are well on your way towards downsizing your home stress-free. If you’re looking for a great facility to store your goods we hope you consider Gateway Storage. We love serving our clients across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

Effectively Store Your Holiday Goods And Decorations

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: ginnerobot

Now that the holidays are just around the corner it’s important to start thinking about how you’re going to store your holiday decorations. No matter the holiday, whether it’s Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving or something else entirely you’ll want to take special care when storing your goods.

If you’re overwhelmed about the process of storing all of your holiday decorations consider the steps below as a way to reduce your stress and overwhelm during this busing time of year. In this article we’re going to look at how you can store your holiday goods in an effective manner.

1. Take Note Of Broken Items

When you’re taking down your holiday items make sure you inspect them for any broken elements. Once you’ve packed everything away it’s a good time to buy replacement parts.

Right after the holidays a lot of holiday goods and decorations are on sale, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of the lower prices.

2. Label Your Bins

It’s a very common practice to store your holidays goods and decorations in bins. However, it’s also a good idea to label the bins so you’ll know which ones belong to which holiday.

By developing a simplistic labeling and storage system you’ll be able to get in and out of your Woodbridge storage bin in record time.

3. Always Store Items Out Of The Way

There’s no need to store your holiday goods in a highly trafficked area of your Woodbridge self storage bin. Makes sure you store all of your holiday bins and boxes in an area of your bin that is out of the way, since you’ll usually only need to access your holiday goods a few time of the year.

As a bonus, this will also help to protect fragile items from getting bumped or knocked over.

4. Take Extra Caution With Fragile Items

Fragile items and decorations can be the bane of your packing existence. However, if not taken proper care of you could easily lose these precious items. It’s always worth it to take extra time wrapping these items and placing them neatly into their containers.

When stacking these boxes make sure you place them in an area that won’t be as early disturbed.

I hope these packing tips have been helpful and might save you a little stress throughout the busy holidays. We hope you consider Gateway Storage for all of your holiday storage needs. We serve our clients across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.